'It's not for softies'

A survivor of the Mongol Derby is the main act at the annual fundraising hunt supporters' supper, where tales of saturating rain and fermented milk leave Tessa Waugh inspired from afar

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THE hunt supporters’ curry supper with guest speaker is a fundraising evergreen in our neck of the woods. It has happened every year since Domesday, or maybe just the 1980s, in the same village hall and is presided over by a group of ladies who think nothing of knocking up several vats of curry and rice for an assembled crew of 70-odd. Sated by large platefuls, we are an undemanding audience, happy to hear about most things as long as the speaker doesn’t drone on forever.

Our former chairman, Tom, who died just over a year ago, is hugely missed on these occasions. He always jollied things along in the nicest possible way, heckling from the back with a rubicund face or stage-whispering, “Sooooo boring!” to a neighbour if the speaker banged on too long.